Revisiting Social Stratification in Indian Society: A Review and Analysis with Focus on Kashmiri Society

This paper briefly reviews earlier as well as recent approaches of Indian Social Stratification System and there relevance in present era. Much of what is known about Social Stratification in India is based on studies conducted in early and middle part of the 20 th century. There is a lot of literature available on the theme of social stratification in India. In fact, the most researched area in the Indian sociology deals, directly or indirectly with the social stratification or caste. In this regard, the Indian society has been studied both by the local sociologists as well as the alien sociologists. The focus of these studies has been on the origin, dynamics, implications and change in the Hindu caste system excluding Muslims from their studies. Hence there is a requirement of a study of Social Stratification among Muslims in India as well as in Kashmiri society.